Impact of the infrared properties of the backsheet on the efficiency of an encapsulated photovoltaic silicon cell

Abstract

The efficiency of an encapsulated photovoltaic (PV) silicon cell is studied by modeling the radiative exchanges between its layers, focusing on the influence of the radiative properties of the backsheet on the cell temperature. The model uses the Monte-Carlo method to solve the radiative transfer equation. Two-dimensional simulations were performed, showing how the radiative properties of the backsheet affected the silicon cell temperature, which was then used to calculate the current-voltage characteristic and the efficiency of two PV modules. The results revealed a significant sensitivity of the model to the emissivity of the top-side backsheet, with a 19.4°C temperature difference for the silicon cell and, a 9.5% and 13.3% increase in the maximum power between a fully reflective and a fully absorptive backsheet for the two PV modules. Overall, the study highlights the importance of considering radiative properties in the design and optimization of PV panels, as they can have a substantial impact on their performances.